The Center for Oral Health Research is a broadly based interdisciplinary research program involving scientists in the Schools of Dental Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Medicine. The principal aim of the Center is to provide the resources and setting in which scientists in a variety of disciplines can investigate problems related to oral health. The areas under investigation range from basic research into the structure and biochemistry of oral tissues to clinical studies of the microorganisms involved in oral diseases. Specifically we are attempting to identify and characterize the microorganisms which may cause periodontal disease and attempting to define the possible mechanisms of pathogenesis of the disease. These studies include delineation of the roles of complement and white blood cells, particularly polymorphonuclear leukocytes, with emphasis on the interaction of these cells with oral bacteria and with components of the connective tissue matrix. The synthesis and degradation of collagen is being studied particularly as these processes may be modified by cells present during the inflammatory response. The pathway by which secretory antibody is synthesized is being defined and the role of the immune system in the complex response to oral bacteria is being examined. In the complex ecology of the oral cavity, colonizaton by oral bacteria on tooth surfaces probably plays a central role in the initiation of both dental caries and periodontal disease. Several projects are devoted to clarification of the colonizaton process. The possible role of mitochondria in the calcification process is being investigated using mitochondria isolated from calcifying tissue. The proteins of herpes simplex virus are being characterized chemically and immunologically and their biosynthetic relationships and biologic function delineated. The biochemical and genetic mechanisms involved in cleft palate formation are being studied using mouse and embryo palates in vitro. Many of these studies involve collaboration between scientists in the Center with each other and with others within and without the University. In addition to its research function, the Center serves as a resource for the training of graduate students, dental students an undergraduates in the college.